My ears are kind of shaped weird but I have some triple flange tips that will provide the isolation I require. They must be comfortable and lightweight though but not strictly so.

Sound wise I appreciate balanced sound with tight bass and clear mids and highs. Durability is the main issue here. Both my Nuforce and V Moda IEMs lasted less than a few months each and I used them very carefully with their included pouches.

Hi guys. I'm looking to buy my first pair of IEM's and someone pushed me in the direction of this forum. I've got to say, I can't believe how many pairs of headphones some of you have owned!

Problem is, the more I research, the more indecisive I get. I'm not an audiophile by any means but want something better than run of the mill headphones.

Another problem is that I'm not sure exactly what sound signiture i want.

Somethings I am certain of,

1) budget is about £50 (i think about $80).

2) Source is an iphone or android equivalent. No intention of getting an amp

3) They will be replacing a pair of Sennheiser mx400 ear buds(which sounded pretty good to my ears)

4) it will be used for walking about and commuting (so i want to block noise but not total isolation - still want to be aware of surroundings)

5) I wear glasses, so can wear over the ear but definately can't use ear hooks

6) i need a good alrounder as i listen to all sorts of music from classical to acoustic like simon and garfunkel, beatles,indie,rock, pink floyd and a fair bit of house and trance.

The only music i don't listen to is hip hop, dubstep and modern pop so i don't need a bass monster. i don't want bass overpowering the sound, but don't want a tinny sound and need enough bass to to enjoy dance music. On the other hand, pink floyd's my favourite band so i want something to make those guitars sing!

I don't really understand the conept of soundstage but i listen to quite alot of live stuff so i guess a big sounstage would be nice.

i've narrowed it down to

Brainwavz m2

Brainwavz m3

Brainwavz m4

Soundmagic e30

In the uk all of these are available for pretty much the same price, so comparative value is not an issue.

I'm leaning towards either the Brainwavz M3 or Sounmagic e30.

Can anyone who has listened to these tell my if they're suitable?

I know from my rambling post it sounds like i want the perfect earphones but the choice is overwhelming!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

No offence, don't worry about your list, go to Amazon and grab Klipsch X10 for $90, one of the best all rounder below $100, if not the best...

I absolutely love the sound...do a bit more research on that if you like, but I whole heartedly recommend that for you

I've been researching what IEMs to get and am just confusing myself further all the time, so I thought I'd seek input.

Current: Sony MDR-EX58Vs ($25 at Best Buy)

Budget: ~$150 (Must be available on Amazon!)

Music: Dubstep, house, dark electro, aggrotech (there are other styles in my library, but those are the main ones for IEM purposes)

Sound signature: I know there are better sounding IEMs than my Sonys, but I don't feel that they're particularly lacking in any area. Given the inclusion of dubstep in my music list, bass will need to be present, but I don't want overwhelming bass, and I don't want any of the sounds to "drop out" or get tinny. Words like rich, clear, punchy, and fun come to mind here. :-)

One popular model seems to be the Shure 215s, and I was going to pull the trigger until I saw concerns expressed about how well the remote cord (as a replacement for the stock cord) molds to one's ears? I've also seen recommendations here for Klipsch X10s, FXD80s, GR07s, and Yamaha EPH-100s? Not all of these are readily available on Amazon, or at least at a good price. For what it's worth, I am willing to get a remote cable/adapter elsewhere for a small fee, but the bulk of the cost needs to be on Amazon because I have gift cards. :-)

Also, a question: Do molded over-ear wires lose their shape if they get stuffed into pockets?

Thanks for your help!

Shure 215, Klipsch X10, or Yamaha EPH-100's are all good, I would skip GR07 simply because it is not very good for dubstep, and I don't like FXD80's.

my recommendation from the lot? X10, tight, fast, and punchy bass, smooth treble, and detailed mids, excellent for EDM and most genres.

Phillips has a flat cables earbud. I haven't heard them but they can be found under 30 on amazon. Just another route. I imagine though the those two (T-peos D201 and Astrotec DX-60) will sound much better, but again I haven't heard the Phillips just know they exist.
Maybe someone has?
These:http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006WHPQDG

Don't want to sound pushy, but honestly at this price point it probably is not going to get more balanced than the PFE022. Would highly suggest just looking at stretching that budget. Forgive me for being presumptuous or out of line.

I've been researching what IEMs to get and am just confusing myself further all the time, so I thought I'd seek input.

Current: Sony MDR-EX58Vs ($25 at Best Buy)

Budget: ~$150 (Must be available on Amazon!)

Music: Dubstep, house, dark electro, aggrotech (there are other styles in my library, but those are the main ones for IEM purposes)

Sound signature: I know there are better sounding IEMs than my Sonys, but I don't feel that they're particularly lacking in any area. Given the inclusion of dubstep in my music list, bass will need to be present, but I don't want overwhelming bass, and I don't want any of the sounds to "drop out" or get tinny. Words like rich, clear, punchy, and fun come to mind here. :-)

One popular model seems to be the Shure 215s, and I was going to pull the trigger until I saw concerns expressed about how well the remote cord (as a replacement for the stock cord) molds to one's ears? I've also seen recommendations here for Klipsch X10s, FXD80s, GR07s, and Yamaha EPH-100s? Not all of these are readily available on Amazon, or at least at a good price. For what it's worth, I am willing to get a remote cable/adapter elsewhere for a small fee, but the bulk of the cost needs to be on Amazon because I have gift cards. :-)

Also, a question: Do molded over-ear wires lose their shape if they get stuffed into pockets?

Extremely textured, powerful and tight punch, but could be a bit overbearing, in which case the FXZ100/IE800s would really hit the spot.

Nevermind, saw the remote thing. And no, they do not lose shape. So the Shures would probably be fine. Others above would probably be better suited for isolation/genre bandwidth and sound requirements though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VikramK123

Thank you for responding.

I will mainly be listening to alternative rock music.

My ears are kind of shaped weird but I have some triple flange tips that will provide the isolation I require. They must be comfortable and lightweight though but not strictly so.

Sound wise I appreciate balanced sound with tight bass and clear mids and highs. Durability is the main issue here. Both my Nuforce and V Moda IEMs lasted less than a few months each and I used them very carefully with their included pouches.

Balanced, comfy, durable - Would say the GR04/02 (if a little more kick is need go for the latter). Build is better than it looks on photos. Could also spring for a R-30, those fit requirements pretty well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilerf

Hey all I'm looking for a set of flat cord earphones
Around 30 mark
i listen to all sorts of music

Thanks

MH1C (the really hyped one). Do the mods on rinchoi's site. Apparently it helps with balance (hopelessly bassy otherwise). The only really decent one with flat cords, and at that price.

Anyone here have experienced with Audio Technica ATH-ON303?
I wonder how the performance and comfort when compared with ATH SJ11 and Sennheiser HD 219

I recently tried the two ATH's in store, and I briefly owned the HD218 (IIRC it's almost identical to the 218, virtually just a name change).

Out of all 3, the Sennheiser have the best comfort. Then there's a mod for that series on head-fi that you can do if you feel it's too muffled and want the sound to open up: The foam in the earpads come with a center portion cut out but not removed. Just remove it.

Both the SJ11 and ON303 sounded fine (as in no issues), but my (modded) 218 was more impressive and musical. On my relatively larger head, both cups on the ON303 have a tendency to rotate sideways around their axis, as though they're spring-loaded, that kinda ruined what is otherwise a sleek and comfy design.

At the prices available to me, the 218 cost 50% more than either ATH model.

I've come to learn that demo units vary wildly in their condition and sound, so YMMV. :)

Balanced, comfy, durable - Would say the GR04/02 (if a little more kick is need go for the latter). Build is better than it looks on photos. Could also spring for a R-30, those fit requirements pretty well.

I would have gone ahead with those but as I stated earlier I require a remote and microphone for use as a headset with a phone. Any thoughts on the NE 600M?

Well then , after doing some research I find myself still wondering what kind of IEM would be right for me. I just get lost in the world of all of these different headphones and although I get that no one can decide what my preference is, I am still asking for advice.

Let me describe a few points so you may be able to help me.

I live in the Netherlands, in Utrecht to be exact, which is a moderately big city, so while cycling, I get surrounded by alot of different sounds. My previous IEM were Sennheiser CX300-II which I liked because of my musical preference:

I tend to listen to more bass oriented music, like house, electro, techno (so in general; Bingo Players, Carl Cox, David Guetta, Afrojack, Avicii) , but sometimes oldies like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones too. I enjoy deep bass sounds, but I don' want it to spoil the rest of the music, while listening to RHCP for example.

I have a budget of around 45 Euros, so I'd say ~60 US $.

I've already searched the forums, and I've already found some good ones (I think):

If you could give me some advice, or maybe some other headphones for me to research, thad would be just great!

edit:

only saw just now that there is some kind of list for these things:

Current: Sennheiser CX300-II

Budget: about 45 Euro (50-60 US $)

Music: House, techno, electro, harddance, every kind of dance oriented music with lots hard beats (example: Rattle, Toulouse, EpiC, Silhouettes), in lesser numbers oldies like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Santana. Focus lies on the first list.Sound signature: Not sure what the right glossary is, but I enjoy deep bass sounds, although I dont want it to 'soften' the vocals. I think the right term is wide (?), rich, and most of all not flat. Also, prefer Bassy and something with at least a hint of a good body (obviously not really the deal within this price range).
All in all, prefer to have a budget sound with something Warm